Chapter 10: Why isn't she in lockup?
A Jedi. Could she really be a Jedi? Mara shook her head, and laughed at the thought. "You really are a fool, aren't you?"
Skywalker smiled, but didn't say anything. He was still holding out his hand as if he expected her to take it. She shook her head again. Could she? No. She could never be a Jedi. But Skywalker was still smiling at her, and she could feel his conviction: he really believed what he was saying.
"How?" she finally whispered. Her hands were shaking, and she folded her arms again to hide it. Futile, of course, for Skywalker could read her like a datapad.
His smile widened, became so brilliant she was nearly blinded. "I can teach you. It won't be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is. Will you stay?"
No. She had to get away, to put as many miles as possible between herself and Skywalker's dangerously tempting offer. But where would she go? What was there left for her in a galaxy without her Master? Even if she could manage to kill Vader, what would she do then? There was no longer any meaning or purpose to her life. Skywalker's offer was likely the best opportunity that was going to come her way. And at the least, it would allow her to get close to Vader. Perhaps an opportunity would yet arise.
Could Skywalker read that thought? She quickly pushed it away. There was no way he trusted her, but there was no sense in giving him more reasons to withdraw his offer. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her chin and met his eyes. "Yes. I accept your offer."
"He has no idea how difficult he's making it for me!" Leia flung her datapad onto her desk and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Han craned his neck to see the screen—surprisingly, it was still in one piece. Leia sighed gustily and leaned back in her chair. "I don't expect him to report to me or follow my orders, but he could at least follow through on his promises."
She had been in a fury ever since Luke had run out on her meeting earlier, leaving chaos in his wake. The visiting diplomats had assumed that anything that caused a Jedi to leave in such a hurry was probably something they should be worried about. It had taken hours to calm them.
Luke had not re-appeared yet, and Han was left to try to appease Leia. "He must have had a good reason to run off like that," he said.
Leia wasn't buying it. She sat up straight and glared at him. "I'm sure he did. That's not the point."
Han raised an eyebrow. As he opened his mouth to respond, a knock sounded at the door. Leia was on her feet instantly. She strode across the small office, and flung the door open. "You better have come to explain yourself," she told Luke, then turned on her heel and left him looking rather bemused.
Han grinned, wondering how he had ever thought those two were anything other than siblings. Then he spotted the redhead who followed Luke into the room, and he was on his feet, his blaster in his hand.
Green eyes flickered over him, then dismissed him. She turned her back. Han smirked. She may act like he was of little importance, but those vaunted Force powers hadn't helped her last time. He lowered his blaster, but didn't reholster it. If there was trouble that Luke couldn't handle, he would be ready.
Leia stood behind her desk, her arms crossed. "Why isn't she in lockup?"
Luke smiled, and ignored the question. "Leia, this is Mara Jade. She will be staying here to train as a Jedi."
Leia's eyes widened, and she leaned forward on her palms. "A Jedi?! Luke, she tried to kill us! She's an Imperial spy!" She shook her head. "It was one thing to bring Vader here, but…Luke…"
Han stepped forward, his blaster held loosely down alongside his thigh. "How do you know they're not working together?" he asked bluntly.
Luke and Mara turned together toward him. He forced himself not to flinch at the intense scrutiny and naked power in their eyes.
Mara let out a short bark of laughter. "Me work with Lord Vader? He killed my master, in case you've forgotten."
Han raised an eyebrow.
"If you are serious about learning from me, I will expect you to find a way to work with Anakin Skywalker," Luke said quietly. "Jedi don't hold grudges."
Mara stared at him for a moment, her eyes narrowed. Then she nodded stiffly.
"Luke, if you really think this is the right thing to do, then I trust you," Leia said. Han knew Leia well enough to see her hesitation. She wasn't certain about this—not by a long shot.
Han leaned on Leia's desk and crossed his ankles, casually cradling his blaster in his lap. He nodded at Mara. "I don't trust her." He met Luke's eyes. "And I don't trust him."
Luke nodded, understanding. While it was sometimes hard for Han to see past the kid he remembered from Tattooine to the Jedi Knight he had become, right now there was no mistaking the radiant power and authority Luke wore as if it had always been part of him. Han wondered how Leia and Mara could even stand to be near him, let alone look directly at him when even a Force-blind smuggler could feel it.
Leia straightened up, in full Senator mode. "Do you accept responsibility for both of them,Master Skywalker?"
Luke nodded formally. "I do."
Mara snorted under her breath. Han glanced at her, but she was staring straight ahead, ignoring everyone. He grinned. It seemed he wasn't the only one who found the whole "official" officiousness ridiculous.
Leia met Luke's eyes, and Han could swear they were communicating without words. Sometimes he couldn't help but be jealous no matter that Luke was her brother. Of course, Han wouldn't actually want to have anyone in his head, not even Leia. Though sometimes he wondered just how much they could read him, he preferred not to think about it.
"Thank you, Master Skywalker," Leia was saying, her voice cool and professional. "Anakin Skywalker and Mara Jade are under your protection and you will be responsible for their actions while they reside on this base." She gave Mara a measuring look, then turned back to Luke. He bowed, she nodded, then he turned and left the room, with Mara close behind him.